Ocean Swimmer - Letter to parents

Explore the ocean

Dear parent,

Sago Mini Ocean Swimmer is like a giant digital flap book. Each yellow marker is a fun animation to discover. Just guide Fins to the yellow markers and discover a hidden animation.

Our Forest Flyer app proved that kids love playing with an open-ended adventure where they could guide the action. Ocean Swimmer builds on this idea with even more art, animation and silliness. The result is really magical.

Each child approaches the app in a their own way. Some just love to swim, some make a game out of seeing how many things they can discover. Others make up stories as they go. To help encourage storytelling the app includes a big cast of characters – everything from a giant sea monster to a friendly octopus ice cream vendor. The characters, props and situations all hint at different personality and emotions. But at the same time they leave enough space for kids to invest their own imagination.

My own boys are among the many little testers who helped shape the app. I’m sure your family will enjoy the app as much as ours.

How to play

Ocean Swimmer begins outside of Fin’s underwater home. Tap to blow the horn, and watch as Fins pops out of the door, ready to play. Tap Fins and move your finger across the screen to guide him through the sea. Little yellow markers appear, indicating a surprise to explore. Lift your finger near one of these spots to trigger an animation. There are more than 30 to find. You can also just tap anywhere, and Fins will swim directly there.

To talk about

When exploring Ocean Swimmer with your little one, ask a few questions and invent some playful answers. Who lives in that crevice? How is Fins feeling? What will Fins do next? Who are the other creatures that Fins meets along the way? Get out a big roll of paper and draw your own underwater world.

Enjoy!
Lisa Armstrong, Designer

The Team
Lisa Armstrong, Designer
Aaron Leighton, Artist
Elaine Hsu, Artist
Luke Lutman, Developer
Karen Gunter, Animator
Vanessa Logan, Animator